Hemp Housing

May 2nd, 2006

Hemp? This plant has to be one of the most amazing and versatile plants ever. You can create clothing, paper, fiberboard, fuels, food, soap, rope, sails, oils, plastics and bales. Hemp, like marijuana, is species of Cannabis sativa, though it’s psychoactive (THC) properties are minimal.
It might sound like a new idea, but people have been using hemp as a building material for a while.
It’s insane that this material is illegal to farm in the United States.

The Fleming College Sustainable Building Design & Construction Program in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada, are using hemp bales in their project. The Haliburton 4C’s Sustainable Building Project of 2005 was a 1800 sq. ft. eco 4C’s Food Bank and Lily Ann Thrift Store. They made use of grid-tied solar electric, hemp bales, earthen plasters and a earthen floor. The have a extensive online journal.